“House,” Season 6, Episode 12, “Moving the Chains”: TV Recap

Family (and the twisty ties that bind) is the theme that forms the connective tissue for the various storylines from last night’s episode of “House,” “Moving The Chains”.

Last night’s patient, Daryl Bartlett, is a college football offensive tackle with a great chance to be a high draft pick. But a few days before he’s to work out for pro scouts, Daryl flips out on a routine play, and out of frustration he bangs his helmet on his head repeatedly, earning him a trip to see House and his team. As the initial tests are taken, Daryl and his mother push for a quick resolution, saying that the coming workout may be his only chance to play in the pros. The findings indicate that Daryl may be on steroids, but the big man insists he’s clean. The findings indeed rule steroids out, but there could be trouble with his heart.

Meanwhile, Foreman is startled to learn that House knows that Marcus, Foreman’s brother, is due to be released from prison this very day. House tells Foreman to pick Marcus up, but he refuses to. So of course House makes arrangements for Marcus to work for him as his assistant! When they get a moment alone, Foreman tells Marcus that the only reason he got hired is so House can annoy the hell out of him. But Marcus needs this job, so he takes it. Needless to say, House does find out all kinds of juicy, embarrassing stuff about Foreman from Marcus. Wilson accuses House of actually trying to do the nice thing for a change, but House poo-poos this, as per usual. Speaking of House and Wilson…

The two docs are having domestic issues of their own. Wilson catches House taking a bath in his bathroom, which triggers a series of escalating pranks between them…only each insists they’re innocent. As it turns out, they both are innocent; someone from the outside is pranking them. We’ll get to the who and why later…

The team wants to check Daryl’s heart rate, but the normal treadmill isn’t sufficient in his case. House decides to use medicine to test the heart rate, but something about Daryl stops him: African-American Daryl’s skin is turning white. Further tests are done to see if lymphoma is the culprit, and sure enough, it sure looks like it is. Except when Daryl develops an inflamed liver, something not consistent with lymphoma. Back to the lab, House!

Meanwhile, the situation between Foreman and Marcus grows tense. Essentially, Foreman cannot seem to trust that his big brother is reformed this time. House is not helping matters by using tidbits of Foreman’s past fed to him by Marcus and embarrassing him with them. House does go too far by revealing a shocking secret Foreman’s been keeping from the team: his beloved mother recently died. Marcus quits in anger. Foreman, feeling solidarity with his brother for the first time in years, offers to help him get his job back and a place to stay (with him), as long as Marcus agrees to not promise that “this time will be different”; they’ll take a one day at a time approach to their reconciliation.

Back to Daryl. Foreman tells him that they believe he has a treatable blood condition, but the treatment requires him to miss the workout with the pro scouts. Daryl refuses any more treatment, saying that he owes his mother for all the years she sacrificed for him. Foreman goes with Daryl to the workout, but the big man doesn’t even make it to the field (thanks to Foreman spiking the I.V. earlier). Back at the hospital, House and the team finally figure it out: Daryl’s got melanoma, a rare condition for African-Americans, which is why it was not initially considered. Daryl’s going to be fine, but it’s likely his pro career is a non-starter. But at least he’ll have his health now.

As for House and Wilson, their prankster’s identity reveals himself: Lucas! He pulled the pranks to get revenge for Cuddy, who really wanted that condo badly. Wilson wonders what awful thing House’s gonna do to get him back. House drops a bombshell…he’s not retaliating. He’s making the ultimate sacrifice for Cuddy. Only time will tell if it’ll all pay off. And with that, we bid House and company adieu until next week.

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